Delta says the confrontation was preceded by the sisters' 'unusual' behavior

Published Jul 31, 2018 at 10:34 AM

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The left file photo shows a Delta terminal from the LaGuardia airport in New York City on August 8, 2016. Tamar Braxton, right, arrives at a BET Awards Dinner on June 21, 2017, in West Hollywood, California.

What to Know

The sisters wanted to get off the plane without their bags, Delta said

When the flight attendants felt the sisters weren't listening to their instructions, they sought the captain's help, the airline said

Towanda wrote on Instagram that Tamar was "ridiculed" by the pilot

Singer Tamar Braxton was approached by a pilot and “ridiculed” on a Delta Airlines flight, her sister said in an Instagram post.

In a video posted to Towanda Braxton’s Instagram page, a pilot is recorded talking to Tamar about listening to flight attendants. The man in the video instructs Tamar not to ask him any questions.

“Here’s how this works,” the pilot said in the video. “My flight attendants work for me. They give orders that come from me, OK? So if you get an instruction from a flight attendant, I need to know that you are willing and able to do what you’re told to do.”

After Tamar said yes, the pilot walked toward the front of the plane. Then, Tamar and Towanda discuss whether they should remain on the flight.

Before the boarding door was closed, the sisters indicated that they wanted to get off of the plane. Flight attendants instructed them to collect their bags and do so, but the siblings said they weren’t planning to take their belongings, prompting a back-and-forth exchange.

The confrontation shown in the video came after the sisters refused to acknowledge the flight attendants’ instructions, according to the airline. As a result, the flight attendants pursued the captain’s help.

The airline said the sisters are frequent travelers and would be used to and familiar with crew members' instructions and protocol.

“It’s crucial for the safety of every flight for customers to be willing and able to follow crew instructions,” Delta said in a statement. “When these customers exhibited some unusual behavior and refused to acknowledge our flight crew’s instructions, the captain addressed them directly to ensure the safety and security of the entire flight.”

Tamar's representative hasn't returned NBC's phone call or responded to an email inquiry seeking comment on the incident.